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James: How Have People Been Persuaded To Hate Child Refugees?

As the government closes a scheme that's brought just 350 child refugees to Britain, James O'Brien rages against how the media has conditioned so many decent people to hate those children.

Campaigners had been hoping that 3000 child refugees from places like Syria would find new homes in Britain under the "Dubs scheme". But after just 350 were taken in, the Home Secretary Amber Rudd announced last night that the scheme was being closed.

James wanted to remind those celebrating the decision what was at stake, even as he insisted that those people applauding the decision were "not the nastiest people in the country."

He said: "They've been persuaded into a position, very slowly, like boiling a frog, where they are now actually cheering a decision that will consign hundreds of children to grisly ends and slavery and sex work.

"We were going to take 3000 and now we're not. And people are cheering.

"I love the people that are cheering. Because that's how I was raised, it is the Christian principle, the Christian impulse, hate the sin, love the sinner.

"I think that they are decent people who have been persuaded into a position where they're cheering the deaths of children and if you can be persuaded into it? You can be persuaded out of it.